A man has appeared in court accused of contacting his ex-girlfriend from prison after he was arrested for allegedly punching her in the face.

Kevin Rowland, 41, gave no pleas to two charges of assault by occasioning actual bodily harm and intimidating a witness when he appeared at Welshpool Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, May 28.

He is accused of assaulting Shoshanna Jones in his car near Castle Caereinion during the early hours of August 10 following a night out with friends.

Michael Davies, acting for Rowlands, told the magistrates that he had "no representations to be made at present".

The magistrates declined to deal with the case after the prosecutor said their sentencing powers were "clearly inadequate", and the case was committed to be heard by a crown court judge.

Rowlands, of Guinea Lane, Weston under Redcastle, near Wem, was given unconditional bail to appear at Mold Crown Court on June 28.